


close enough to burn

by aesphantasmal



Series: superpowers au [4]
Category: The Penumbra Podcast
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, I can't make my usual canon typical joke cause this is just mig, Juno deals with the consequences, Juno has power cancellation as well, M/M, Other, all his aliases are shapeshifted versions, mind reader juno, nureyev is a dumbass who needs therapy, nureyev is a shapeshifter, superpower au man in glass, this is mostly just man in glass
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-23
Updated: 2020-03-23
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:40:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23274142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aesphantasmal/pseuds/aesphantasmal
Summary: The guests at Nova Zolotovna's party have, as far as Juno can tell, very little of substance going on in their heads. And Juno would know.
Relationships: Peter Nureyev/Juno Steel
Series: superpowers au [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1673617
Comments: 57
Kudos: 258





	close enough to burn

**Author's Note:**

> superpower au...2!!!  
> this one took a while. it was not meant to be this much of man in glass. I wrote the end first

Nova Zolotovna's party is Juno's least favourite kind of event. It's loud inside his head and louder out of it. And it's not as if any of the thoughts are particularly interesting. Some people already seem to be drunk or high, but not in the kind of way that's entertaining to listen to.

Reading thoughts is like listening to sounds or like looking at a series of images, in that if one sound is much louder or one image is much brighter than all the others, it becomes very difficult to focus on anything else. And even from the other side of the room, Nureyev's resentment and bitterness was like a klaxon sounding out over the whispers of everyone else's thoughts. It has already been boiling away since Juno got onto the ship, but it had kicked up a notch when Buddy had announced that they were working together, and now it seemed to get worse with every single thing Juno said. Juno had tried to tune in and get actual words at one point, and he swore he got thought afterimages like you might get if you stared at the sun too long. It did help him keep track of Nureyev in the crowded ballroom as he made his way around. Still, he had a job to do. He tried his best to tune into the quieter thoughts around him, seeing if anyone had seen Zolotov. Instead, all he got were repetitions of the same question. Where was the host?

There were two possibilities, as far as Juno could tell. Either Zolotov wasn't here, or nobody knew he was. It has been a year, and that was more than enough time for someone with Zolotov's money to become unrecognisable. Juno wasn't sure he could even investigate the first possibility - the guards might know, but Juno doubted that. So that just left the second option. Juno sifted through the thoughts of the people around him. There seemed to be a few people here very few people knew — some reclusive musician very few people seemed to recognise, but the few that did seemed to be big fans, some exec who was so boring and middle of the road he didn't seem to stick out in anyone's memories, someone young who didn't seem to have gone to many parties before, certainly not ones like this one. It took Juno a few minutes before he managed to pick someone out that nobody seemed to know. A young looking woman with long blue hair and a dress that cost more money than everyone Juno had met before age 20 had owned in their entire lives combined. As subtly as he could, Juno made his way towards her.

Nova Zolotovna was more interesting than a lot of her guests, but her head seemed to mostly be filled with the same inane concerns about trends and houses and shares and fashion and vacations and a million other ways to hoard and use her vast amounts of money as everyone else in that room. Or  _ nearly _ everyone else, as Juno felt a sudden wave of anger from behind him on top of Nureyev's general aura of resentment. Juno ignores it and continues to talk to Nova until Nureyev draws his and Nova's attention deliberately with a "Dear. Dear!"

Up close, Nureyev being there was like a hot iron uncomfortably close to Juno's face. Juno powered through it as best he could, but it was exhausting. It wasn't like he'd never been around people who hated him, even after he got his new power. Annoyance, anger, hatred, he could deal with those. Whatever was going on in Nureyev's head… it was just  _ so much _ . The thief had been hard to read before — no expression on his face unless he wanted it there, every thought and emotion being subdued a split second later, and besides, the last time he had seen Nureyev his mind reading hadn't been anywhere near as strong as it was now. He tried his best to push past it — think of the job at hand and the end goal, and try and ignore his headache. He was almost relieved when Nureyev stormed off after the auction. Almost, because he knew what Nureyev was going to do next. He didn't even need to read his mind. He knew as soon as Zolotovna bought the Globe. Maybe he should have told Nureyev that security had been changed before, but he was pretty sure he wouldn't have listened to him. He brushed off Zolotovna as quickly as he could and pushed through the crowd towards Nureyev.

"Honey?" he yelled, as soon as Nureyev was close. He kept pushing through. He still couldn't see Nureyev through the crowd, though he could see his path of destruction as he'd taken out the cameras. "Hey, dear, we really need to talk!" He kept pushing forwards until he could see Nureyev, edging closer to the Globe. "Like… Right now! Hello!" He knew Nureyev could hear him. The people around him were looking at Juno now. "Goddammit, are you even listening to me?" he said, moving as fast as he could in his massive dress. He could see Nureyev standing in front of the Globe. And, as he looked to his side, he could see a camera in a flower — one so obviously fake even Juno could tell it was fake — pointed directly at Nureyev. Juno had to do something. Nureyev was extending a hand to take it. "Honey, I said,  _ look out! _ " Nureyev ignored him. Throwing caution to the wind, Juno picked up his skirt and ran at him, knocking him to the floor before he could touch the Globe.

He felt Nureyev's anger burning with the force of a supernova before he felt anything else. He didn't notice everyone around them had stopped until he heard Nova say "Madame Dauphin? Madame Dauphin, my goodness, what has gotten into you?"

Nureyev was saying something, too, but Juno was pretty sure he got the jist by this point. "Uh, nothing to see here, folks!" he said, looking around at the indistinct mass of people around them. "Just…" He was having a hard time thinking, with everyone else's thoughts on top of Nureyev's. "...saw a bee on the old hubby here, so I —" He knew it was dumb before the other gala guests even cut him off. "Yeah that's what I thought, which is why I kinda... freaked…" He laughed nervously. He could feel far too many people's eyes on them. "Would you believe me if I told you I just really, really wanted a hug?" He heard Nova reply, but was a little preoccupied with Nureyev looking at him like he'd gladly feed him to a sewer rabbit.

As soon as Juno got off of him, Nureyev whirled round, more dishevelled than Juno had seen h in a long time. "You incompetent… idiotic…" Juno could hear hints of the Ransom voice sneak in under the Dauphin voice, and a hint of Nureyev's actual voice, a flash of his eyes through Dauphin's. He could tell Nureyev had no idea it was happening.

Juno glanced back at the camera. Nureyev couldn't start accidentally shapeshifting here."Impatient, too, so let's get out of here, pronto."

"And why, hm? Why should I listen to a word you —"

Juno pointed over his shoulder, as subtly as he could. "Because, goddammit, there's another security camera looking right at you!"

Juno can tell the moment Nureyev sees the camera. His eyes widen, and Juno feels something that feels a lot like shame, fear or both flood through him, extinguishing his anger if just for a second. Nureyev lets himself be lead towards one of the cameras he already knocked out. Juno tries to talk, but he can tell Nureyev is barely paying attention, if at all. Even when he is, he answers in half sentences and short statements, slowly collecting himself as they talk. There are flashes of emotion — disgust at Zolotovna's spending habits and "shrimosas", slight confusion followed by shame when Juno mentioned the Board of Fresh Starts (he  _ knew _ Nureyev wasn't listening during the family meeting), and then… something Juno couldn't quite place, while he's staring at Juno, just before the dance begins. As the music starts up and the lights come on, Nureyev seems to fully snap back to attention.

"Juno."

"Hm?"

"The ball is starting. And I don't intend to leave here without that Globe."

"Me neither."

"Then…" Nureyev extends his hand and gives a short bow. "May I have this dance?"

"Thought you'd never ask." Juno takes his hand, and he flashes a smile full of sharp teeth, one that is wholly Peter Nureyev.

* * *

It takes Juno a while to decide to go and talk to Nureyev, once they're back on the Carte Blanche.

Juno doesn't know if it was that one moment with the camera or the whole rest of the heist or a combination, but the resentment seems to have withered away. He doesn't even get in any major petty jabs during debriefing. But still, he was hurt and angry in the kind of way that doesn't face so easily. Juno considers taking the easy road, not talking to him, but he knows it will just hurt them both worse in the long run. So, cautiously, he knocks on Nureyev's door. "Yes, come in, come in," he hears from inside. He opens the door and hovers there awkwardly for a second. 

"Juno." Nureyev looks perfectly fine, all the parts of the Peter Ransom mask in place as far as Juno can see with Nureyev's back to him. 

"Hey there… Ransom," Juno says. As soon as he says it, he can tell it's not what Nureyev wants to hear.

"Oh, just close the door and drop the silly moniker," Nureyev says. "I already regret choosing it." He's looking into a mirror, Juno can see now, but what he's looking at, Juno can't tell. He doesn't seem to be moving, just staring at his reflection.

"Ok, "Peter" then —"

"And not that, either. Everyone who's ever called me "Peter" wanted to be my parent. Even if I've only let a few fit the role." The Peter Ransom voice seemed to fall away as he said "So please, just call me what you used to." He turns around to face Juno. In the low light cast by Nureyev's desk lamp, Juno can see Nureyev's eyes as he looks at him. Ransom's eyes weren't really Ransom's at all, not some original creation or modification that Nureyev had come up with. They were Mag's eyes, eyes Juno had seen looking at Nureyev with pride and with sadness and then with nothing at all. Nureyev — Ransom — looked at Juno now, and it was with different eyes, the yellow replaced with a rich amber that wasn't so different as to be startling, but was undeniably different. Warmer. And as they made eye contact, Juno knew Nureyev had scoured every inch of the cabin. They weren't being watched. They weren't being recorded. Juno shut the door and stood facing Nureyev.

"So, Nureyev, I've been thinking we should probably. Um. Talk. About us." Juno fidgeted with the sleeve of his trenchcoat, trying not to look into Nureyev's head. "So have I," Nureyev said, at the same time as Juno said "I know you don't want to, but… wait, what?"

"I think we should talk, too, but if you keep standing there while we do it you're going to make me terribly nervous. Please. Sit."

Juno sat down nervously on the bed opposite Nureyev. "Cool. Thanks, Nureyev." He took a deep breath. "Listen. I just... wanted to say I’m sorry. The last time we saw each other, that night... I messed up. I know that hurt, and — I shouldn’t have just walked out. But I wasn't in a place where I could go with you, Nureyev. After I left, I just… did nothing, for months. And I'm not sure if it would have been any better if I'd gone with you. I haven't exactly had an easy year or so, but I needed it to get out of my head and stop trying to go out in a blaze of glory. Point is, with the state I was in I would probably have only hurt myself and you. But… I'm trying to do better, and even if this apology isn't enough, I… I owe you an explanation."

Nureyev doesn't say anything for a while after Juno stops talking. At first Juno thinks it's an angry silence, then realises, looking at his face, that Nureyev is lost for words. 

"I know you were angry, when I first joined the crew. And especially earlier today."

"I suppose I wasn't exactly concealing it very well earlier. I suppose you already know I'm not angry now."

"Yep."

"I found it easier, I suspect, to be angry at you because you have changed, not because you hadn't, if that's any comfort. And… with the benefit of hindsight, it isn't difficult to tell that you were not in a fit mental state to be making significant life decisions."

"You were kind of in a state too, Nureyev. You got it worse than I did with Miasma, and… fuck, we've both been idiots, haven't we?"

"Not an unfair assessment."

"I… I missed you, Nureyev. And I'm sorry I didn't say sometime sooner."

"It's not like you haven't tried. I apologise for my refusal to listen to you."

"Do you... think we can try again, Nureyev?"

Nureyev thought for a few seconds before answering. "I… I would like to try." He looked back in the mirror, then down at his gloved hands, and made a decision.

Slowly, carefully, he pulled one glove off and extended a hand to Juno. Juno took it cautiously.

The moment they touched, Nureyev's figure morphed. He reached for his bedside table with the other hand and put his glasses back on. 

Nureyev looked tired. Juno could see dark circles under his eyes and there was a sag to his shoulders. The first time Juno had caused Nureyev to revert to his default form, even though they'd both been taken by surprise, he'd looked put together, like he spent time maintaining the appearance of his default form. Now, he looked like he hadn't even been in this form since… since Juno had left him in that hotel room, since he'd woken up alone. His hair was messy, with a few greys visible, his nails were chipped, and the scars and marks that had built up over his life were clearly visible.

And he was still so pretty that it took Juno's breath away to look at him again.

**Author's Note:**

> comment or ill steal ur bones


End file.
